Donald! Trump!

Mat Gaetz has gone

This is not what the electorate voted for, they voted for immunity for wealthy criminals, not accountability.

This lends some credibility to the argument that Trump deliberately nominated some people who were too totally batshit for even the present MAGA Republican Party. So then a couple get knocked back, the ‘moderates’ (everything’s relative) think they’ve ‘won’, but it still leaves all his preferred people in place, most of whom are completely mental

I read in The Guardian that the word “kakistocracy” is trending. I also heard it described in a podcast as “survival of the shittest”.  Funny but not funny etc.

So then a couple get knocked back, the ‘moderates’ (everything’s relative) think they’ve ‘won’, but it still leaves all his preferred people in place, most of whom are completely mental

But do they read back a few posts before pressing the “Submit” button?

(Wink emoji)

This lends some credibility to the argument that Trump deliberately nominated some people who were too totally batshit

Nah, I think he wants who he wants. Given Trump’s own history – guilty of rape, “grab ’em by the pussy” etc, his chosen candidate’s personal history or past activity just isn’t an important consideration,  I don’t think it’s on his radar.

All good in the hood (Nicaragua)

Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega and his wife are set to assume absolute power after loyalist lawmakers approved a constitutional amendment elevating her to the position of “co-president” and boosting the pair’s joint control over the state.

Under sanctions for human rights abuses, Ortega himself had proposed the change, which also increases the president’s control over the media and extends the presidential term from five to six years.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/22/nicaragua-ortega-wife-absolute-power

Just in case there is any doubt that the second Trump presidency will not further reduce the United States perceived global moral authority :

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/donald-trump-starmer-arrest-netanyahu-economy-b2652482.html

I am absolutely lovin the language used …….. the United States should “crush” the economies of all those who comply with the arrest warrant, including the United State’s allegedly closest ally.

The aggressive nature of the language publicly used betrays a remarkable level of arrogance and contempt. I don’t expect Trump to slap down his staunch ally Senator Lindsey Graham. And I do expect after 4 years of a Trump presidency the United States to be more isolated from the civilised world…… trying to bully the civilised world so obviously and blatantly won’t make America great again.

Depends who it is great for……….

Trump being Trump, it seems to me there’s very little he’ll do which will make America great. Again.

This amused me in The Observer today –

“ As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and complete narcissistic moron.”
Those were the words of the great American journalist HL Mencken (in the Baltimore Evening Sun, 26 July 1920).

I think Trump is proposing problematical candidates in order to flush out those Republicans in Congress who are anything less than unthinkingly committed to him.

I think Trump is proposing problematical candidates

Nah thats buying into him being the all thinking and conquering genius that he likes to project.

Last time round it was despite him being the all seeing leader he ended up hiring up a bunch of incompetents (in reality a mix of sycophants who ticked that box and also professionals who inevitably ended up upsetting him)  because he was forced by the nasty deep state RINOs.

Now he doesnt have that excuse since his supporters are rather unimaginative it has becomes a way of flushing out the RINOs.

Its still bollocks.

Dont buy into his supporters mythmaking.

So spotted this over the weekend – the greatest country on earth apparently doesn’t even have safe tap water that the residents are willing to drink…

An American bought this bottled water as a gift for his partner and it sent the tap water drinking world into meltdown

This is worth reading.

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/november-24-2024

According to one of Trump’s top advisors in just over 4 months Britain has become a “tyrannical police state”.

However the good news is that the people of Britain have apparently had enough of this tyrannical police state. Although more worryingly the same Trump advisor has previously claimed that civil war in Britain is “inevitable”.

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1860731348962750677

It is probably worth remembering the Elon Musk supported Joe Biden’s bid to become president 4 years ago, and previous to that he supported Hilary Clinton’s bid.

Republicans and Democrats are often perceived, certainly in the UK, of being poles apart, but whilst the heterotic clearly is the policies perhaps not quite so much. Which I guess might explain how some supporters seem to seamlessly move from one camp to the other.

Why did he switch support? Does he think he can get what he wants from Trump, and Biden wouldn’t deliver? That suggests that they’re not the same. But it’s more likely connected to his own mental problems trying to deal with his own family.

Why did he switch support? Does he think he can get what he wants from Trump, and Biden wouldn’t deliver?

Mainly because he knows he can’t personally stand for president and is playing Trump like a fiddle to get his own way

justice American style…. what a waste of time and money

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gvd7kxxj5o

It would be a bigger waste of money if it went ahead as the constitution says you can’t prosecute a sitting president for federal crimes. I’m sure they’ll be waiting if he makes it through the next term in office

That suggests that they’re not the same. But it’s more likely connected to his own mental problems trying to deal with his own family.

Well obviously Donald Trump and Kamala Harris aren’t the same but I am not sure that the switch from opposing Trump the first time he stood to supporting him in his latest bid is a sign of mental problems.

Trump got almost 14 million more votes this time than when he first stood, so his support has clearly grown significantly.

I suspect the reality is that many Americans probably don’t see Trump and Democrat presidential candidates quite as poles apart as we generally seem to.

Joe Biden did reverse some Trump era legislation but nowhere as much as you might have imagined would have been the case if they were really politically poles apart. Fundamentally their aims and vision were remarkably similar.

According to one of Trump’s top advisors in just over 4 months Britain has become a “tyrannical police state”.

Interesting, also according to trump the uk is over run with relegious extremists.

I feel there’s a certain sense of irony there that might get lost in the noise, but who am I to judge?

I reckon the greatest irony is Trump’s relentless claims of “fake news”.

It Trump a Christian? serious question as Christians are historicaly quite nasty people, as are Jews, Muslims and Hindus, etc.

It’s almost as if he just says what some people want to hear.

It Trump a Christian? serious question as Christians are historicaly quite nasty people, as are Jews, Muslims and Hindus, etc.

Unlike atheists who are renowned for their compassion and never committing genocides?

I think Donald Trump’s infamous tweet whist he was president wishing Christians  “a happy Good Friday” betrayed the fact that he doesn’t even understand the basics tenets of Christianity.

So I would say no to your question.

 the constitution says you can’t prosecute a sitting president for federal crimes.

The constitution does not say that. That is a DOJ guideline, not a constitutional provision. Very, very big difference.

Edit: This is what the constitution says:

The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

So, a President can be impeached and convicted by the Senate, and also tried in a regular court. The DOJ guideline seems to rest on the assumption that the Senate will try and convict first, making it unnecessary to charge a sitting president. But that’s just a guideline, the constitution itself allows a president to be tried and convicted.

Well obviously Donald Trump and Kamala Harris aren’t the same but I am not sure that the switch from opposing Trump the first time he stood to supporting him in his latest bid is a sign of mental problems.

Perhaps I need to make it more simple:

– Musk has swing right, hard, and his move to supporting Trump is indicative of that, it is not a sign that Trump and his Democrat opponents are close. They are not.

– One of the reasons for the swing, and this is only my opinion, is his inability to accept his trans daughter, and his own mental state because of that has made him receptive to the “anti-woke” draw of the American right.

On a slightly more light hearted note regarding Trump and Musk… This is likely very close to where their current buddies of convenience vibe will be headed in a few months.

https://x.com/TheRichFromCali/status/1861127849748607300

Impeachment and prosecution outside impeachment are very very different things.

Yale law school argues that a sitting president is not prosecutable outside impeachment. Both at a state and federal level.

https://openyls.law.yale.edu/bitstream/handle/20.500.13051/5357/The_Presidential_Privilege_Against_Prosecution.pdf?sequence=

serious question as Christians are historicaly quite nasty people, as are Jews, Muslims and Hindus, etc.

As a non-believer, I find that pretty offensive. Horrendous things have been in the name if religion, but every person of any faith that I’ve known has been kind, caring and compassionate. We shouldn’t judge groups by their extremes

More evidence that the guy is untouchable and above the law.

But that always seems to be the case with the super rich.

Yale law school argues that a sitting president is not prosecutable outside impeachment.

That’s an opinion, it’s not what’s written in the constitution. If it was written in the constitution, they wouldn’t need to argue their opinion, they would just read out the relevant part of the constitution.

That’s an opinion, it’s not what’s written in the constitution. If it was written in the constitution, they wouldn’t need to argue their opinion, they would just read out the relevant part of the constitution.

That’s not what happened when Colorado took Trump off the ballot. The Supreme Court basically decided because Part 3 of the 14th Amendment hadn’t been specifically codified in US Law then it could be ignored, and overturned Colorado’s decision.

So it doesn’t matter what the constitution says – Trump has loaded the Supreme Court with “judges” who will ignore it if it inconveniences him.

Why did he switch support? Does he think he can get what he wants from Trump, and Biden wouldn’t deliver?

Musk as money and wants power. Trump was looking like the winner between him and Biden and the orange one has power and wants money.

Yes, Vance did post this picture on Xitter! Seems like he’s a bit put out that Elonia Musk has been selected as Diaper Don’s new First Lady, and he’s trying to ingratiate himself with Don to get the place himself.

It Trump a Christian? serious question as Christians are historicaly quite nasty people, as are Jews, Muslims and Hindus, etc.

It’s almost as if he just says what some people want to hear.

No, he’s not, and yes, he does.

As far as the statement about Christians etc is concerned, it all depends on who’s in power in various countries, it’s certainly the case that a variety of different countries have elected charismatic nationalists as leaders. This doesn’t automatically mean that followers of the various religions are nasty people.

If history repeats itself, as it often does, then if Dementia Don does what he promised and put large tariffs on imported goods, and round up millions of unregistered immigrants, then expect a huge crash this time next year, a repeat of the Great Depression…

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/hey-donald-trump-do-you-know-what-happened-last-time-the-u-s-imposed-huge/article_af495404-b1b1-11ef-9259-db5712645816.html?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=user/TorStar

if Dementia Don does what he promised

A lot of people seem to think that Donald Trump is a man of his word. I honestly don’t know why anyone would think that.

The only thing certain about Trump is his unpredictability.

Trump is Nehemiah Scudder

Nehemiah Scudder is the fictional President (2012-2015) and First Prophet (2016-?) of the United States of America in Robert A. Heinlein’s “Future History” series. Sometime during Scudder’s first term, he succeeds in converting the US from a democracy into a religious dictatorship (theocracy). The original Scudder story (“If This Goes On…”) was written in 1940, with several other references dating as late as 1987 (in Heinlein’s last published novel, To Sail Beyond the Sunset).

Many people, especially rationalists, saw George W. Bush’s presidency as veering dangerously towards a potential Scudder-like scenario. Bush’s theocratic leanings, however, pale in comparison to those of 2012 presidential candidate Rick Santorum, who has openly advocated for Christian theocracy as part of his campaign platform.

Origins
Heinlein’s concept of Nehemiah Scudder may have had its origins in such characters as President Berzelius “Buzz” Windrip in the novel It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis. Windrip is believed to have been based on any of a number of real people, however, and Heinlein may have drawn from similar sources.

Opinions
I generally always took this story to be a warning that the wrong person in the Presidency can essentially destroy everything that America is supposed to stand for, starting with democracy, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech.

blimey. not read heinlein in over 30 years – may have to revisit.

trump has shown what appealing to the base can accomplish, and biden’s response of pardoning his son appears to me an acknowledgment that the american electorate couldn’t care less. interesting times. not in a good way.

the USA is f***** pardon my french.

Your post has very ironic phrasing.

The US is not as screwed as Europe is going to be when Trump/Musk tear up NATO and come to an agreement with China and Russia

I can easily see the US staying out of a European war.

Who will protect us from advancing Russian aggression then? Not France, Not Germany either…

There are some bad times ahead for the UK I’m afraid.